Sona Mohapatra Shares Aishwarya Rai 'Toned Down' Her Smartness After Miss World

Singer Sona Mohapatra recently shared her thoughts on the importance of independence and being true to oneself in a conversation.

Singer Sona Mohapatra recently shared her thoughts on the importance of independence and being true to oneself in a conversation with Love Lingo for their YouTube channel. She emphasized the need to work hard to maintain her independence, stating that she puts in "18 hours a day" to avoid being "under anybody's thumb".

Sona also touched upon the topic of helplessness in India, noting that it's a trait that can be beneficial in navigating the country's complex systems. "A person would fit into the eco-system much better if you were also thoda bechara (a little helpless)" she said, adding that "helplessness in general is gender-free".

Sona Mohapatra talks about Aishwarya Rai

The conversation took an interesting turn when the host mentioned a social media post that advised people to "know when to act stupid". Sona responded by sharing her observations about Aishwarya Rai, whom she had met before the actress won the Miss World title.

"We saw it, I remember the first time I encountered Aishwarya Rai was when I had come to write my NID exams in Bombay, the entrance exams. I had taken a train before the Bombay riots... She was studying architecture, she is older than me…She had a classmate, family friends, very close. She looked gorgeous, she is so smart, spoke very well, top, went on to be who she was."

Sona noted that after Aishwarya's rise to fame, she seemed to have changed. "There was a period when I remember seeing her in interviews and saying, 'This isn't the Aishwarya I saw'. Because she would have to somehow be very, maybe she was diplomatic in any case, but somehow giggle a lot. maybe that was her phase. But I kept thinking, 'She is a very intelligent woman'. But the industry she is in, maybe compels her to not be just too smart, I might be wrong. She toned down," Sona added.

Aishwarya Rai, who initially wanted to pursue a career in architecture, eventually quit her studies to model and was crowned Miss World in 1994. She made her acting debut in 1997 and has since appeared in numerous films, including her most recent role in Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023).